Family
24 Ways Our Working Mothers Had it Easier Than We Do
We Millennial and Gen X moms readily admit that our Baby Boomer working moms had it tougher than we do. For one, maternity leave was practically nonexistent. For another, online shopping was actually nonexistent. But in other respects, the times were much simpler. There were less f**ks to be given regarding so many aspects of raising children, from what you fed them to how they played. Please join us on this journey through the 1970s and 1980s for a reminder that even though today’s working moms have it better, we also have to cope with some seriously annoying stuff that never crossed our own working moms’ radars.
1. They didn't have to hire a babysitter because, of COURSE their 11-year-old was totally capable of taking care of the 3-year-old.
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They are basically responsible adults.
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2. But if they needed one, babysitters were $3 an hour.
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And she was the neighbor's daughter.
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3. Also, Grandma was available.
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CANDY!
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4. They didn't worry about having an extra car seat in Grandma's car because who needs car seats?
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"Just put their seatbelt on and hold on tight."
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5. They didn’t have to call their kids’ cell phones to tell them it was time to come inside. They just relied on the street lights to let their kids know when to come home.
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No one texted, "Five more minutes."
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6. They didn't have to schedule playdates. Their kids' friends just came over. By themselves. And played.
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You didn't even have to talk to their moms!
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7. No TVs built into car headrests or need to remember to pack the tablet; they just played the License Plate game and had actual conversations in the car.
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And everyone would yell "Horses!" if they saw horses.
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8. The book mobile came to their neighborhood once a week.
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With actual, real-life books kids read.
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9. They got to stay in the hospital after giving birth longer than 48 hours.
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I deserve it! We all deserve it!
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10. No need to spend hours prepping healthy food before business trips. TV dinners got the job done.
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If it had chicken, it was healthy enough.
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11. Their kids could feed themselves after school (hello, Steak-Umms and Mac and Cheese!).
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If it had cheese, it was healthy enough.
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12. And for breakfast: Here's your Pop-Tart, kiddos. Don't get crumbs in the car.
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They still taste better than any overnight oats recipes.
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13. Red dye #40? Yes, please.
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The sugar rush was something else.
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14. TV had only 13 channels and aired after-school specials. And if their kids didn't like what was on, they played outside.
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And we all watched the same ones.
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15. Playing outside was NOT a punishment for kids.
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Now, it's torture!
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16. Their kids walked and biked everywhere by themselves or with neighborhood friends so they didn't have to drop them off.
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Coordinating drop-offs is the mom equivalent to strategically planning world peace.
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17. No nanny or daycare cams to monitor their kids from their desk at work. They worried the old-fashioned way or they just didn’t know.
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Ignorance was bliss.
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18. No Candy Crush to distract them at work.
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Our productivity levels have definitely gone down.
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19. They didn't have access to email at home, so they were completely unreachable when they were with their families.
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Work at home? Ha!
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20. Cyberbullying? What cyberbullying?
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And no one was eating detergent pods for "likes."
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21. There were more SAHMs around who gladly swooped in when a sick kid needed a midday pickup.
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They were the BEST.
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22. No Facebook or Twitter to perpetuate the mommy wars.
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Why can't we all just get along?
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23. And no Pinterest. Craft projects required nothing more than macaroni and string.
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But the floors were still covered in glitter and glue.
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24. "Family photos" were what you snapped on the front porch, not a $1,000, outfit-coordinated, whole-day affair.
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That's because no picture was immediately posted to social media!
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